Starting device for motor-cycles.



c. J. GUSTAFSON. STARTING DEVLCE FUR MOTOR CYCLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 5. 191 4.

Patented Feb. 27,1917.

4 SHEETS- SHEET I 0. J. GUSTAFSON. STARTING DEVICE 'FOR MOTOR CYCLES.

"Patented Feb. 27,1917;

APPLICATION FILED DEC-5, i914- '4 sums-sum- 2.

I umutoz C. J. GUSTAFSON.

STARTING DEVICE FOR. MOTORCYCLES.

APPLICATION man 056.5. 1914. I N

Patented Feb. 21, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

t w 5 0D A g V V A v Q 3 w uentox wm I j 0.1. GUST AFS ON. STARTING DEVICE FOR MOTORCYCLES. I I

Patehted' Feb. 27,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4'.-

APPLICATION FILED DEC.5, I914.

wbmamo I I v W mt 17mm CARL JOHAN GUSTAFSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 HENDEE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPO BATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

STARTING DEVICE FOR MOTOR-CYCLES.

specifica i n rm r nt- Patented Feb. 27, 1am.

Application filed December a, 1914. Serial 'No. 875,629.

My invention relates to improvements instartin devices for motor vehlcles, and particular y to a starting device for motorcycles.

An object of my invention is to provide a starting device for such vehicles in connection with a friction clutch, so arranged and located respecting eitch other, that the shock of back-firing of the engine will be absorbed by the clutch and not transmitted to the foot,-

of the operator, in such event the friction plates of the clutch taking up the shock and the driven sprocket connected tothe engine sllpping onthe clutch, the frontplate of which is, of course, held from rotation by the starting crank.

A further object is to rovide in connection with the main clutc a clutch pinion normally operated to engage the main clutch to turn it and the engine, automatically disengaged from the main clutch when it is held by the starting crank and rotating with the main clutch when the starting crank is released.

A further object is to rovide mechanism whereby the engine may started. with the rear wheel on the ground.

The invention, therefore, consists primarily of a starting device comprising a manually operated clutch member, and a friction clutch operated thereby in starting the motor and driving connections between the friction clutch and the motor, whereby in case of back fire the shock is absorbed by the friction clutch.

Further it consists of a starting device comprising a manually-operated clutching member, normally engaging a friction clutch foroperating the same in starting and automatically disengaged therefrom during the return of the startm crank to normal position while the foot 0 the operator is on the starting crank.

The invention also consists of a it will he device comprising a manually-operated lever, a friction clutch operated thereby,- an engine shaft connected to the friction clutch, and a clutch device for connecting and disconnecting the friction clutchwith the driving mechanism for the rear wheel, whereby the engine may be started-with the rear wheel on the ground.

Finally, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and referred to in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a motorcycle to which my invention is aplied;

p Fig. 2- is a sectional view through the clutch mechanism withthe starting crank and quadrant removed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown. in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the mechanism as applied to a single speed transmission if desired to be used in starting when the rear wheel is on the ground;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view as applied to a three-speed transmission. a

In these drawings, the engine shaft carries on its outer end the sprocket 1, which drives a sprocket chain 2 passing around the s rocket 3, which forms the free wheel of t 'e clutch 4 when the latter is disengaged and the engine is running. This clutch 4 is of the spring closed multiple friction disk type illustrated in up lications heretofore filed by me in the I nited States Patent Oilice, and also well known in the art as used on the Indian motorcycle, and, there fore, need not be more fully described, its operation being well understood in various arts' The clutch is operated by a worm and horizontal sliding bar passing through a tunnel in the countershaft 5. It is carried on the end of such countershaft 5, and as shown in Fig. 2 the rear plate 6 of the clutch is extended to form a hub 7, on which is fixed-a sprocket 8 which through a long chairrdrives the rear'wheel. In this arrangement as shown in Fig. '2, when the clutch is closed and is rotating, the clutch and. motor shaft revolve simultaneously, and the sprocket and rear wheel also revolve; thus that in order to start the engine the rear wheel must be raised from the ground when the clutch is closed and rotated by'the starting crank.

The preferred applications of my invention are, however, shown in Figs. 4: and 5 of the drawings, and they will be now described, although so far as the starting and prevention of shock from back firing is concerned, the invention is applicable to all the forms.

Referring now to these other figures, the countershaft 5 has a sliding dog 6 fora sin gle speed mechanism, and two sliding dogs 6, 16, for a three-speed mechanism. ltotatably mounted on the counter shaft is a sleeve or hub 7, on which is fixed the sprocket 8 for'driving the rear wheel. This hub also carries, as shown in Fig. A, a ring 10 carrying a dog 9, and as shown in Fig. 5, a gear wheel 10 carrying a similar dog. When the sliding dog 6 engages the dog 9, the wheel 8 rotates, but when the dogs are out of engagement, the countershaft if driven from the engine rotates, but no rotation is imparted to the sprocket 8. Tn other words, when the transmission is in neutral, although engine and clutch are rotating, the rear wheel is not rotated, although resting on the ground when the starting device has been operated.

In the three-speed mechanism shown in Fig. 5, an idle shaft 11 with three gears 12,

tion clutch and the sprocket which drives the rear wheel.

Attached to the outer plate 18 of .the clutch'proper 4:, is the face 19 of a hub 20, having an interior bore to receive a bolt 21, and having a recess 22 in which fits the shank 23 of a cap piece 24.

A nut and jam nut around the bolt 21 hold the cap in place. Also secured to the plate 18 of the clutch by the same rivets 25 which clamp member 19 thereto, is a plate 26 haivng a ring of teeth 27 on its outer face to be engaged by corresponding teeth 28 on the inner face of the clutch member 29 which has a sliding movement on the, hub 20L This clutch mer has teeth 30 on its outer periphery and a recess toreceive a spring 31 held thereon by the cap 23.

This toothed member is spring pressed inwardlyby the spring 31' keeping the teeth 28 normally engaged with the teeth 27, and forms in eflect aslidable clutch pinion, the pitch of therespective teeth 27 and 28 being such that when the pinion is rotated in one direction, the teethwill engage and thereby rotate the mm clutch.

naraaoo When backfiring takes place and the foot of the operator is on the starting crank, thus holding the outer plate of the clutch from rotation, the rotation of the main clutch in the'opposite direction from its driving movement will cause the friction plates of the main clutch to slip and absorb the shock, the large sprocket slipping with respect to the rest of the clutch.

The foot starter 32 is a crank arm having at one end the foot rest 33 pivoted at 34 and adapted to befolded up out of the way when not in use. The crank at its other end is secured to a toothed quadrant pivoted to the machine and normally held with In the construction shown in Fig. 2, in

using the starter the rear wheel must be raised, as when the clutch is engaged to start the motor, the driving sprocket for the rear wheel must also rotate.

It will thus be seen that when the starting crank is forced down, the clutch pinion is rotated and the main clutch and engine shaft rotated. Un backfiring, the main clutch rotates backward, and even it the quadrant is stillin engagement with the pinion, through the operator not having taken his foot oil the starting crank, the main clutch will absorb the shock, the outer plate being held from rotation by the foot of the operator, the friction plates slipping on each other and the large sprocket slipping on the main clutch. Also it bacln iring does not take place, but the operator does not release his foot promptly, and holds the clutch pinion, the teeth on the ,main clutch will ride past the. teeth on the clutch pinion, andwhen the quadrant passes out of engagement with the pinion, the main clutch by frictional engagement will rotate the clutch pinion without any clicking noise.

If desired to start the one with the rear wheel of the machine on the ground instead of raised on its stand, the operation is as follows: The driving dog on the single speed is thrown out of mesh with the main driver on the counter-shaft, to which is rigidly connectedthe drive sprocket for the rear wheel, thus interrupting the drive to up and becomes the .driver, the clutch'is're leased, the transmission thrown in, the clutch engaged again, and i the driver sprocket moves to drive the rear wheel through the long chain.

\Vhen the starting crank is released on the bottom of its stroke, it is automatically returned to the starting position by the coiled spring, and 'when not in use held in position by the clip, the upward movement of the starting crank and the rotation of the pinion through the quadrant causing thev teeth on the pinion clutch to ride over the tion of the shock, the plates slipping on each other and the large sprocket also slipping, and this is so even though the small pinion is .held in engagement with the outer plate of the clutch by reason bf the operator not taking his foot off quickly.

If desired-to start the machine with the rear wheel raised on its stand,the operation driving connection to the motor, and in which in case of backfire, the shock is absorbed by the clutch.

So also I believe I am the first in connection with a starting mechanism operating the friction clutch, to turn over the engine to provide an engaging and disengaging member between the friction clutch and the rear wheel driving sprocket, whereby the engine may be started with therear wheel on the ground.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A motor vehicle including an engine,

an engine shaft, a friction member, a connection between the friction member and the engine shaft, a second friction member engaging said first named friction member, springs for holding said friction members in engagement, a inion having a. ratchet connection with said second friction member, a segmental gear adapted to engage said pinion for rotating the same and means for operating said segmental gear, the tension of said springs beingsuch as to permit the friction member connected to the engine to slip on the other friction member in case of back fire of the engine.

2. A motor vehicle including an engine, an engine shaft, a countershaft parallel with said engine shaft, a driving sprocket on said countershaft connected to said engine shaft, a driven sprocket on said countershaft, friction members for connecting said driving sprocket to said driven sprocket, springs for normally holding said friction members in engagement, a pinion having a ratchet connection with said friction members, a foot lever, a spring for normally holding said foot lever raised, said foot lever havin a se mental "ear'for engaging said pinion when depressed for starting the engine, the tension of said springs being such as to permit the driving sprocket to slip relative to said friction members in case of back fire of the engine.

3. A motor vehicle including an engine, an engine shaft, a friction clutch driven by the engine shaft, and a starting device connected to the friction clutch and operating therethrough for starting the engine, said starting device including a starting lever, a pinion adapted to be operated thereby, ratchet teeth on the inner face of said pinion, and ratchet teeth on the outer face of the friction clutch normally engaged thereby.

4. A motor vehicle including an engine, an engine shaft, a friction clutch driven thereby and including an outer plate,vteeth carried by said outer plate, and a starting device including a starting lever, a pinion operated by said lever, said pinion having teeth on its inner face normally, engaging the'teeth from the outer plate of the friction clutch, whereby in back-firing the outer plate of the clutch may be held from rotation by the foot of the operator on the starting lever and the shock absorbed by the clutch, said teeth being so constructed that when the engine picks up the teeth will slip by each other, said starting lever in normal position being out of engagement with the pinion.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

CARL JOHAN GUSTAFSONr Witnesses:

JOHN T. Cnomx, Jorm D. Srnruess. 

